Introduction to Phylogenetic Networks
provides a thorough introduction to the
current attempts by bioinformaticians
to expand the traditional notion of
representing evolutionary history using
dichotomous phylogenetic trees.

The resulting phylogenetic networks
generalize the trees by allowing cross-
connections between branches. These
cross-branches might represent
horizontal gene flow (hybridization,
lateral gene transfer), in addition to
the vertical gene flow (from parent
to offspring) represented by the tree
branches. The cross-branches might
also display other types of conflicting
signals in phylogenetic datasets,
thus additionally acting as an
effective means of exploratory data
analysis within phylogenetics.

The book provides a conceptual
(non-mathematical) introduction for
biologists, as well as an introduction
to the biology for computational
scientists. It is abundantly supplied
with real biological examples.